Level 2
Flags as Symbols of Belonging
Part 1 No 1 2006
Reading level Yr 4
Social Sciences
Understand how belonging to groups is
important to people
Flying the Flag
Trish Puharich.
This report provides background information about the
New Zealand flag and looks at the debate about the
flag.
It concludes by challenging readers to form their own
opinions.
Literacy Goal
To think about, record and organise ideas visually and in
written form.
To make inferences about why some objects are important
to groups of people.
Specialised vocabulary
Union Jack, British Empire, Southern Cross, sovereignty, possession.
Interest vocabulary
Waitangi, referendum, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, koru, Kupe, Kuramarotini,
Task purpose.
To find out why we have flags and what they represent.
Task 1
Discuss: Where have you seen the New Zealand
flag flying or being used?
Think of some examples
 Why do you think we have flags?
 What is their purpose?
Read the article
Flying the Flag by Trish Puharich.
Use the information from the journal article and
the web-page http://www.kids-world-travelguide.com/world-flags.html
to make notes about why we use flags.
Resources
http://www.kids-world-travelguide.com/world-flags.html
This webpage focuses on why we have world
flags, the common symbols used, the shapes
and colours of flags.
Making notes
Review each section of the article.
1. You will want to think about what you have
read and choose what were the most
important words, facts, ideas or events.
2. You may want to ask questions prior to
rereading a particular section of text such as:
 Is the information I have identified the
most important?
 Have I included unnecessary supporting
detail?
 Have I used the subheadings, charts
and illustrations to help me to locate
the most important information?
 Will this information help me achieve
the reading purpose?
3.You may want to draw pictures of some of
the key information to help you understand it.
4. Combine and sequence the key ideas,
information from the resources you have
chosen.


Locate 5 examples / illustrations showing
when, why and how world flags are used.
Three web-links have been have been
provided to help you make a start.
Examine the illustrations
1. Make an inference using clues in
the illustrations and what you
have learned already to state
when a flag is used.
2. What do you notice people are
doing in the illustrations?
3. Why is the flag at each of the
events? If there was no flag at
these events would you be as
interested?
1. http://www.themalaymailonline.com/s
ports/article/brilliant-ko-relieved-toget-major-monkey-off-her-back
Lydia Ko at her win at a major golf
tournament.
2. http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2014/an
zac-day/rotorua
Anzac Day event.
1. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/othersports/7577658/Hawking-Pistoriusopen-Paralympics
Opening of the Para-olympics
4. Is the flag important at these
events? Why?

Write several short sentences about why
the flag is used when groups of people
come together (such as at the Olympics, or
an international sporting event,)

What is the purpose of the flag in each of
your five examples?
For further ideas refer to the notes that
you made after reading the journal article
and web-page.

Place the illustrations in a power-point
with your sentences to share with others
in your class.
Task 2 To find out what is involved in designing a flag.

Design a flag which represents your class
or your school.
What colours will you use?
What symbols will you include to
represent your class or your school?
Is there an existing motto or slogan you
need to include?
http://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/flagcolors.html
This webpage discusses the significance of
colours that could be used in your flag design.
Consider what flag might be appropriate to
for the planet Earth.
 What colours will you use?
 What symbols will you use to represent
planet Earth
 View the website for ideas to help
Design a flag for planet Earth
Or
Evaluation
Review:
How effective was I in achieving my literacy goal?
What did I do well?
http://www.flagofplanetearth.com/#introshift
This site shows a proposed flag, for planet
Earth, to be used for a colony on Mars, in 2025.
Did I locate clues in the illustrations and the
journal article as well as drawing on my
background knowledge to make predictions
about why we have flags and what they
represent?
What do I still need to work on?
Was my note-taking helpful?
Was I able to find and use the most important
words, facts, events and ideas from the
resources to help me achieve the Social
Sciences purpose?
Was I able to combine and sequence the key
ideas together effectively?
How effective was I in achieving my social sciences
learning goal?
Was I able to identify why we have flags and
what they represent?